Pod
.]]A pod is a small auxiliary transportation craft used in the Planetary Union in the early 25th century. With the exception of escape pods, a pod is used in travel solely inside the atmosphere of a planet, distinguishable from shuttlecraft, which are auxiliary craft used by larger space flight-capable vessels for travel. There are three identified types of pods, which are similar but not related to each other: a commuter pod used on Earth, a conveyance pod used on Xelaya, and an [[Escape pod|'escape pod']] used in spacecraft as an emergency transport vessel to a habitable or safe environment. Commuter pod to exit the pod.]] The commuter pod is a single person transporter used primarily on Earth for short-distance travel. It is spherical, with two bottom, dorsal wings presumably responsible for keeping the pod aloft. Most of the pod is built of a transparent, glass-like windshield that rises for loading or unloading. Many buildings sport small docking bays customized expressly for commuter pods, including Planetary Union Central and individual apartment units.Episode 1x01: Old Wounds Conveyance pod A conveyance pod is a four-person transporter used primarily on Xelaya for short-distance travel. It is ovoid, with three extendable legs for landing. Two lower, leglike wings extend at either side while in flight.Episode 2x03: Home Escape pod Production Commuter pod Initial concept art by Luke McDonald and Stephen Lineweaver of the commuter pod was more ovoid and sleeker in appearance, with the wings fanning from the sides of craft, rather from the base. Inspiration came from the production line of Tesla motorcars. A comment from the production team (likely McDonald) is found in the book The World of the Orville: We hybridized commuter pod into this all-glass thing, but it was essentially trying to find something that had the panoramic view of the Tesla cockpit with a spherical design.''Bond, Jeff. ''The World of the Orville. Titan Books. 2018. Pg. 117. With the overall spherical shape and and wing/stabilizer placement decided the final stage of design, including control panels, details, and mechanical functionality, was completed by visual effects artist Yoshi Vu who created the 3D model used in the pilot episode: I was given a basic silhouette (a sphere and two stabilizers) without any concept or reference and allowed to design everything inside and out. I was heavily inspired by the look of the drone in ''Oblivion in coming up with the overall look and paneling.The Orville, Yoshi Vu. Artstation. Last accessed Aug. 27, 2019. Vu gave the pod an retractable user console which extended in front of the driver "in a rotating motion outward."The Orville, Yoshi Vu. Artstation. Last accessed Aug. 27, 2019. Conveyance pod The conveyance pod was designed by senior concept designer Lex Cassar and other artists. As the production staff had no official term for the vehicle, artists began to call the craft a 'Xelayan conveyance pod.'Private correspondence with Lex Cassar. Twitter. Sept. 24, 2019. Trivia * Laura Huggins, in a message to the future left on her old mobile phone before donating it to the Saratoga Springs time capsule in 2015, voices her hope that they have flying cars, which would make her "super jealous". This would come true in the form of the commuter pod.Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions'' Appearances *''Episode 1x01: Old Wounds'' *''Episode 2x03: Home'' *''Episode 2x04: Nothing Left on Earth Excepting Fishes'' *''Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions'' References Category:Technology Category:Humans Category:Xelayans